What size of trailer for truck?

[SDHNTR]

Very good point above about the tires. E rated are a must.

 

[Tobe_B]

To be more realistic, I wouldn’t advice that truck to take a trailer across the country. It’s too light to comfortably handle a trailer in adverse weather conditions, specifically the wind. Heading to our hunting lease one fall weekend my dad and I counted 25 semi trailers flipped and destroyed from a windstorm along a 90 mile stretch of Highway. They are designed to handle heavy loads and still suffer in adverse conditions. We used to pull a small 26’ bumper pull behind a 1500 and it was miserable. Weight is the key factor. Your truck and brakes need to be able to handle the trailer pushing on you when you attempt to brake.


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[Coldtrail]

I've hauled a loaded 7x12 and gear that is in the 4000# range with my F150. Between wind resistance, bad fuel mileage, and the weight I couldn't imagine going any heavier for interstate driving. The first time we switched drivers my buddy was 5mi in and couldn't believe the felt wind drag at 75mph, single digits mpg too. I got rid of the trailer, just was a pain anywhere but the 2 lane Rd.

 

[Courtlandfarms]

Just went though this. Check door jam sticker and determine your payload. You're going to max your payload out with you cargo and tongue weight before your towing capacity is maxed. Go by what your stickers on your truck says rather than whats in the Ford manual.

Do the math BEFORE you buy. All the numbers trailers are listed at is dry weight. Figure in what your cargo is and then start shopping. Figure 10-13% tongue weight.

My bet is you're going to find something in the 500lb dry tongue weight range and around 6500k loaded range. Should put it around 25ft

 

[Rancher]

Lots of good info here.Half ton pickups will pull trailers fine,its the stopping when someone pulls in front of you that I worry about.That is the reason I use either A 3/4 ton or a 1ton for towing.

 

[JohnnyDesert]

I have a 20' toy hauler that is 5,100 dry... I tow it with my 2006 silverado which is rated for 7100 lbs on the bumper... I plan on getting the same truck as what you have some day. There are a ton of options in the toy hauler world of 20' -24' in the 5,000 lb range. 20' is good for me, my wife, and 3 small kids. I would rather have my 1/2 ton and tow slow and steady, than to own a 3/4 ton truck and have to use it for a daily driver.

 

[CCH]

Don't listen to RV salespeople. Don't go with the maximum weight your rig is rated for. Don't believe "half ton" rated marketing. Don't fill up your camper and your truck with gear.

We had a 30' "ultralight" bumper pull once that was theoretically in the range of my wife's half-ton Suburban. A windy trip and a drive into the mountains had us into a diesel in short order. Ignorance was not bliss. You can certainly do fine towing with a half ton, but you really need to make sure the trailer is suitable and not get caught up in the max tow weight hype.

Things to look for in trailers includes construction and options. Stick and tin (most base level models) will weigh more, but cost less. Aluminum frame/fiberglass siding will generally be your lightest option. Don't forget to factor in batteries (especially if you're going to use multiple), propane tanks (especially if you have multiple and/or oversized) and most importantly water if you are going to run with a full tank. None of those are part of the dry weight. A quality equalizer hitch makes a world of difference, and as mentioned, air bags may be in order.

Do the math, and give yourself as much cushion as you can. Here is a good spreadsheet to calculate scenarios based on your vehicle and whatever trailer you are looking at. Max weight is far from the only factor.

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[Gatorgrizz27]

How heavy of a pack can you carry?

People always seem to struggle with understanding towing capacities, legality aside.

Just because something is rated to tow 12,000 lbs doesn’t mean it will do it up a 10% grade at 10,000 ft in the dead of summer, day after day, with no loss of performance or increased stress/wear.

For difficult conditions or regular use, I wouldn’t go over 70% of the rated capacity.

Power has almost zero contribution to towing ability. Wheelbase, weight, and gearing are far more important. There are a bunch of F-650’s out there with 180 or 220 hp, it’s just used by manufactures to drive sales.

A new F-150 is rated to tow more than one of my old trucks, a 2001 F-250 crew cab long bed with the 7.3L and 6 speed manual. With an exhaust brake, it was completely stress free towing 22,000 lbs on a gooseneck.

A truck that weighs 1,500 lbs less with a 20” shorter wheelbase and a taller final drive ratio isn’t going to pull better than that, no matter what the company says.